Wireless fidelity (WiFi) is a wireless local area network technology. According to different network deployment architectures, a wireless local area network (WLAN) may be categorized into two types. One is a WLAN where an access point (AP) uses a centralized authentication architecture of a thin AP. The WLAN of this type uses a unified authenticator which is located on an access controller (AC) to provide access authentication for a terminal device, and each AP in the network does not provide the function of an authenticator. The other is a WLAN where the AP uses a distributed authentication architecture of a fat AP. In the WLAN of this type, each AP device provides the function of an authenticator, and the AP provides, by using its own authenticator, a network access authentication function for the terminal device. Worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) is a wireless broadband access technology. The WiMAX is characterized by wide coverage of an AP. WiFi is characterized by low power, simple implementation, and low cost. WiMAX and WiFi can be mutually complementary. Therefore, WiMAX-WiFi interoperation becomes a hot research topic.
In the prior art, as regards a dual radio MS, when the MS uses a WiMAX radio unit to perform a communication service through a WiMAX network, the MS may use a WiFi radio unit to access a WiFi network concurrently. During handover, service continuity may be ensured only if the MS accesses the WiFi network in advance. As regards a single radio MS (for example, a dual-receiving and single-transmitting MS), only one radio unit can be used for transmission at a time, while a WiFi radio receiving unit may discover an available AP in the WiFi network, obtain the BSSID of the AP, and send the BSSID of the AP to a WiFi SFF (WiFi Signal forward function) to enable the WiFi SFF to determine a target AP. However, when the MS uses the WiMAX radio unit to perform the communication service through the WiMAX network, the MS cannot use the WiFi radio unit to access a WiFi network concurrently. In this way, when the MS hands over from the WiMAX network to the WiFi network, the MS disables the WiMAX radio unit and then enables the WiFi radio unit, and accesses the WiFi network by using the WiFi SFF.
During the process of researching and practicing this method, the inventor of the present invention finds that:
In the prior art, types of a target WiFi network are not taken into consideration, the WiFi SFF only provides an AP simulation function. According to this solution, great improvements need to be made on an existing network during implementation, and network deployment is complex.